Just saw this today, that the Phillies signed Jamie Moyer to a two year guaranteed deal. Moyer turned 46 in November.

Mario-Rijo

12-16-2008, 07:03 AM

Just saw this today, that the Phillies signed Jamie Moyer to a two year guaranteed deal. Moyer turned 46 in November.

Good grief Charlie Brown!

redsmetz

12-16-2008, 07:17 AM

Here's the story from the Philadelphia Inquirer:

Phillies' Moyer signs two-year deal
By Todd Zolecki

Inquirer Staff Writer

The Phillies will introduce Raul Ibanez as their leftfielder today at a news conference at Citizens Bank Park.

> They welcomed back Jamie Moyer yesterday.

> The Phillies signed Moyer to a two-year, $13 million contract that will pay him $6.5 million in both 2009 and 2010. The deal includes awards and performance bonuses.

> The return of Moyer and the arrival of Ibanez and righthander Chan Ho Park - the Phillies have reached a tentative agreement with Park pending a physical he is expected to take next month - signal that most of the team's serious off-season business is finished. The Phillies could add a piece or two before spring training opens in February, but unless something drastic happens, this looks like the team the Phillies will take into 2009 to defend their World Series championship.

> "We have as good a chance of repeating a world championship as anybody," Moyer said in a conference call with reporters. "It's going to be a competitive race. I'm not going out predicting that we are going to win, but we have as good a chance as any other club out there. It's not like we've lost four or five players to free agency and key players and things like that."

> "I think that we're pretty good," Charlie Manuel said.

> The New York Mets made themselves much more formidable when they signed closer Francisco Rodriguez and traded for setup man J.J. Putz. Rodriguez recently called the Mets the team to beat. Cole Hamels said last week on New York radio that the Mets have been choke artists the last two seasons.

> Should be fun.

> "I think what Cole said wasn't that bad if you sit and listen to how it came out," Manuel said. "I think people took it kind of the way they wanted to. If you want to take it and run with it, well, go ahead. But if you look at it from a realistic standpoint, they're always saying that the Mets choked, and we were lucky enough to be sitting there to catch them. I think over the last two seasons, that's definitely misleading, because we went 13-4 both years."

> The Phillies' rotation will include Hamels, Moyer, Brett Myers and Joe Blanton, with Kyle Kendrick, J.A. Happ, Carlos Carrasco, Drew Carpenter and Park expected to compete for the fifth spot. Adam Eaton? His days appear numbered. The Phillies tried to give him (and his $8.5 million contract) away last week during the winter meetings in Las Vegas, but found no takers. They were willing to pay all but about a million.

> The bullpen also appears set, with Brad Lidge, Ryan Madson, J.C. Romero, Chad Durbin, Scott Eyre, Clay Condrey and Park, assuming he doesn't make the rotation. The Korea Times reported Park had agreed to a one-year, $2.5 million contract with bonuses that could increase its value to $5 million.

> The bench will include Geoff Jenkins, Matt Stairs, Greg Dobbs, Eric Bruntlett, and Ronny Paulino or Chris Coste. The Phillies recently acquired Paulino from the Pittsburgh Pirates. He is expected to compete with Coste to be Ruiz's backup, although the Florida Marlins have interest in Coste.

> If the Phillies make another move, it could be adding a righthanded bat to the bench to give Manuel more options late in the game. That might mean moving Jenkins or Stairs.

> But the Phillies were pleased to finally get a deal done with Moyer. General manager Ruben Amaro Jr. acknowledged the risk in signing the 46-year-old lefthander to a two-year contract. But Amaro pointed out that Moyer is one of the best conditioned players on the team. Moyer, who went 16-7 last season, said he would use the second year of the guaranteed contract to motivate him in 2009.

> Negotiations with Moyer seemed to take longer than expected, but he said he never felt he wouldn't return.

> "Things moved along smoothly," he said. "It's all about timing. I think the timing is right. Everything got resolved. I'm happy to be back in Philadelphia to defend our World Series championship. I'm excited about our club."

> It is a club whose roster appears mostly set.

Stewie

12-16-2008, 08:40 AM

Ruben Amaro was an Ed Wade protege, and sadly a lot of the moves he has made so far this off-season have had a very Wade-ian quality to them:

-Giving up a first rounder and backloading a deal for a 37 year old Raul Ibanez, while letting Pat Burrell leave for free
-Signing Chan Ho Park and saying he has a shot at starting -- a role he hasn't had success in since 2001
-Now giving a guaranteed deal to a 46 year old pitcher.

Obviously the word "guaranteed" is the worst part of this deal. A one year deal with a club option for a second would have been fine. But alas, no such luck.

blumj

12-16-2008, 09:45 AM

It's 2 years at $13M total? $6.5M a year? That's a big enough discount on market value that I don't see any problem with the 2 year guarantee. A one year deal should have cost them $10+M, anyway.

remdog

12-16-2008, 09:59 AM

Ruben Amaro was an Ed Wade protege, and sadly a lot of the moves he has made so far this off-season have had a very Wade-ian quality to them:

-Giving up a first rounder and backloading a deal for a 37 year old Raul Ibanez, while letting Pat Burrell leave for free
-Signing Chan Ho Park and saying he has a shot at starting -- a role he hasn't had success in since 2001
-Now giving a guaranteed deal to a 46 year old pitcher.

Obviously the word "guaranteed" is the worst part of this deal. A one year deal with a club option for a second would have been fine. But alas, no such luck.

I feel your pain Stewie. Unfortunately, that is the plight of a Reds fan in the aughts. :)

Rem

REDREAD

12-16-2008, 10:34 AM

It's 2 years at $13M total? $6.5M a year? That's a big enough discount on market value that I don't see any problem with the 2 year guarantee. A one year deal should have cost them $10+M, anyway.

Yes, it's kind of similiar to our Rhodes deal. One can look at Rhodes as 4 million for the first year, second year free.

I agree, at that $$ figure, two years for Moyer isn't bad.

Also, on Ibanez vs Burrell. The Phils, as defending champions were obligated to get a decent LF. Ibanez is a downgrade for sure, but perhaps they see the team being torn down in 2 years and rebuilt anyhow. Maybe they didn't want to be burdened with a 6-7 year deal for Burrell. I imagine that's what Burrell was asking for. He may not get it, but I'm sure he wanted something in the neighborhood of what Carlos Lee got (as will Dunn). Downgrading LF will certainly hurt their chances of repeating next year, but long term, Ibanez may be a smarter deal. And of course, I don't know much about Burrell, but maybe the guy just wanted out of there.

camisadelgolf

12-16-2008, 10:37 AM

It's nice to see Moyer continue his 50-year journey to the Hall of Fame. I'll be rooting for him.

dfs

12-16-2008, 11:23 AM

It's 2 years at $13M total? $6.5M a year? That's a big enough discount on market value that I don't see any problem with the 2 year guarantee. A one year deal should have cost them $10+M, anyway.
oh....I thought they were crazy, but for that money you have to wonder why they didn't add an option year or such.

KoryMac5

12-16-2008, 11:37 AM

Age is not relevant in any discussion about Moyer in that he has been rolling junk up there for the last 5 seasons. Another couple of years won't have that much of an effect on the stuff Moyer throws. He takes good care of himself and is still productive at 45 years old. He went 16-7 last year in 196 innings. I would imagine he will be good for another double digit win this upcoming season.

Falls City Beer

12-16-2008, 01:56 PM

I don't think Ibanez is a total stiff or anything. He's better than a lot of options out there. However, $10 million a season seems maybe a little high.

oneupper

12-16-2008, 06:18 PM

The Phillies are World Series Champs, so nothing really matters.
They can be happy with that and no one can take it away from them (until October).

The core is still good...they can compete.

MrCinatit

12-16-2008, 07:42 PM

It's nice to see Moyer continue his 50-year journey to the Hall of Fame. I'll be rooting for him.

Sure, he could be heading towards the Hall, but by the time he retires, he'll be so old that he'll have no idea what's going on. Might think it's a party for his 100th.

camisadelgolf

12-16-2008, 07:44 PM

http://espn.go.com/photo/2007/0501/moyer_HOF.jpg

RedEye

12-16-2008, 09:09 PM

http://espn.go.com/photo/2007/0501/moyer_HOF.jpg

Where did you get this? It is absolutely brilliant!

camisadelgolf

12-17-2008, 01:58 AM

Where did you get this? It is absolutely brilliant!

I'm not sure of the original source, but I believe someone from ESPN made it. I post it every chance I get.

redsmetz

12-17-2008, 07:09 AM

Interesting follow up piece in the NY Times including an interesting paragraph about other pitchers who have played late into life.

Jamie Moyer wears No. 50, and at this rate, he could be pitching when his age equals his uniform number. Moyer, the oldest player in baseball, will retain that statInus for 2009 — and beyond — after agreeing to a two-year deal Monday to continue pitching for the Philadelphia Phillies.

“I try not to look that far down the road,” Moyer said in a conference call. “I do know I’m 46 now, and I’m trying to appreciate where I am and the opportunities that I had. This year was an exciting year for myself, and my family, and the city and the organization.”

Moyer insisted on a two-year deal, and the Phillies are taking a gamble investing in a multiyear deal for him. But he can point to his remarkable durability, his results and his mentoring of younger pitchers like the ace Cole Hamels as reasons he remains an asset. Moyer, who relies on guile and finesse, has joked that he does not have to worry about losing velocity off his fastball.

Moyer, who will be slotted fourth in the rotation, said he never considered retirement, not even with the seemingly perfect end to last season: his first World Series title, captured in front of his hometown fans. He went 16-7 — 4-0 in September — with a 3.71 earned run average. It was his lowest E.R.A. since 2003 and helped Philadelphia to its second consecutive National League East title.

Although he faltered in his first two postseason starts, taking the Phillies’ only loss in each of their first two series, Moyer fired six and one-third superb innings against Tampa Bay in a Game 3 victory in the World Series. He was the second-oldest pitcher to start a postseason game, behind Jack Quinn, who was 46 years 103 days in 1929 as a member of the Philadelphia Athletics.

“I felt no reason why I couldn’t pitch next year,” said Moyer, who often arrives six hours before night games to exercise on an underwater treadmill. “And having that security of the second year, it pushes me and it drives me. And we’ll see where it goes. I’m excited for this up-and-coming season. That’s where I’m going to put my attention to, and we’ll deal with the following year when it comes.”

Moyer has 246 career victories, third behind Tom Glavine (305) and Randy Johnson (295) among active players, making it unlikely he will reach the 300-win plateau. Should he remain healthy and pitch in late 2010, Moyer would end that season as the sixth-oldest player since 1900 to throw a regular-season pitch, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Surpassing Phil Niekro (48), Hoyt Wilhelm (49) and even Quinn (50) could be feasible, Nick Altrock (56) and Satchel Paige (allegedly 59) probably not. But, with Moyer, anything seems possible.

“Jamie’s going to do what he can to play out this contract and be an effective pitcher for us,” Phillies General Manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said. “And if you ask Jamie, I would imagine he thinks he’s going to play out many more contracts beyond it.”